breath
breath Lexical Profile
breath Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The air taken into or expelled from the lungs during respiration, or a single cycle of inhalation and exhalation.
"She took a deep breath before stepping onto the stage to deliver her keynote address."
A slight movement of air, a gentle breeze, or a faint trace or suggestion of something.
"Not a breath of wind stirred the leaves during the humid afternoon."
A brief pause, rest, or respite from exertion.
"The hikers stopped at the ridge to catch their breath and admire the valley below."
Word Nuance & Usage
'Breath' (pronounced /brɛθ/) is a noun referring to the air inhaled or exhaled, whereas 'breathe' (pronounced /briːð/) is the corresponding verb meaning to take air into and expel it from the lungs.
• Rhymes for breath
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'bræþ', meaning 'odor, scent, or exhalation', which evolved from a Proto-Germanic root related to heat and vapor before shifting in Middle English to denote respired air.